Third rail support



June 17, 1947. w, F, WALKER THIRD RAIL SUPPORT Filed Jan. 4, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ZVIIZ Wdlker O HTTORNE Y8.

June 17, 1947. F, WAL ER 2,422,509

THIRD RAIL SUPPORT Filed Jan. 4, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q IIBY v I I Patented June 17, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THIRD RAIL sUrroR'r Willis F. Walker, Seisholtzville, Pa.

Application January 4, 1944, Serial No. 516,960 2 Claims. (01. 191-22) This invention relates to third rails, and more particularly to third rail supports, the primary object of the invention being to provide a third rail and support, which may be readily and easily installed as a unit of a railway track, elimihating the necessity of making alterations in the track construction, to install the third rail.

Another object of the invention is to provide a third railmounting or support which will possess certain resilient qualities to insure a third rail support which will yield under weight and certain abnormal conditions, to eliminate binding of the conductor'shoe of a train moving over the track, thereby insuring a true electrical contact between the conductor shoe and third rail, at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide a third rail support, which may be held in position by the fasteners used in fastening the railway rail to its ties, eliminating the necessity of employing special independent fasteners, for the third rail support.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein described, may be made Within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a railway rail, showing a third rail as disclosed adjacent thereto, in parallel relation with the rail.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through a railway rail, illustrating a third rail supported in accordance with the present invention, or disposed adjacent thereto.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view of a railway rail, one edge of the third rail support, being shown in elevation.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4- 3 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference character 5 designates a railway tie, and the reference character 6 indicates a railway rail mounted on the tie, the rail being secured to the tie, by means of the fasteners I. The fasteners I are held in position by means of the U- bolts 8, which are shown as extended through openings in the tie, the ends of the U-bolt being extended through the fasteners I, as clearly shown by Figure 3 of the drawings. Nuts 9 are 2 positioned on the threaded ends of the U-oolts, and are adapted to extend into openings formed in the fastening member, the fasteners I are substantially wide, and extend appreciable distances beyond the side edges of the railway base, as clearly shown by Figure 1 of the drawings.

The third rail support, forming the essence of the present invention, embodies a main section II which is constructed of a length of spring steel material, the lower end thereof being extended downwardly at I2, so that it will rest against the edge of the railway rail with which it is used. The main section also includes an inclined portion I3 constructed to rest directly on the base of the railway rail. The intermediate portion of the main section is curved as at M, the lower end of the curved portion I4 being curved in opposite directions at I5, lending resiliency to the main section of the support.

The fastener I when it is positioned against the support, is so disposed that the notch or cutaway portion II] thereof, accommodates the main section of the support to prevent twisting of the main section with respect to the fastener.

The upper end of the main section is formed to provide one side of a third rail clamp indicated at Hi, there being provided a clip I1 of a similar construction, adapted to grip the opposite edge of the base of the third rail, which in the present showing is indicated by the reference character I8. The clip IT, as well as the main section of the support, is provided with an opening for the reception of the bolt I9, which is shown as eittended therethrough, the bolt being provided with a nut 20 adapted to draw the clip into close engagement with the main section of the support, clamping the third rail in such a way that movement of the third rail with respect to its support, will be prevented at all times.

The third rai1 I8 is insulated from its support, by means of the insulating material 2 I, which is shown as positioned between the third rail support and third rail.

The number of third rail supports may be determined by the weight and length of the third rail to be supported thereby. It may be that the third rail may be securely held in position on a support of the kind described, the supports being positioned on approximately every other railway tie of the track.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to the construction shown and described, I have provided a third rail support which may move vertically, thereby insuring a true contact between the conductor shoe of a railway train moving 3 over th trackfand the third rail engaged by the conductor shoe.

It will also be obvious that with the construction shown, a railway track may be electrified by merely positioning the third rail adjacent to one of the rails of the track, eliminating the necessity of making alterations in the present track construction, to install the third rail.

What is claimed is: I

1. A ready attachable third. rail support for attachment to railway rails having rail fasteners, comprising a vertically extending body constructed of a length of spring steel material having a, convoluted lower end adapted to be fitted over the base of a, railway rail and clamped in position under the rail fastener thereof, and having an enlarged convolution intermediate the ends of the body, the latter convolution being extended in the direction of the rail with which it is used, a third rail clamp on the upper end of 20 the body adapted to rest against one side of the head of a railway rail with which the third rail support is used, and said third rail support being so constructed, arranged and supported that the third rail moves substantially vertically under the weight of an object moving thereover, and in contact with the side of the head of the rail during such movement 2. A ready attachable third rail support for attachment to railway rails having fasteners, comprising a vertically extended body constructed of a length of spring steel material, the intermediate portion of the body being formed with convolutions, one of said convolutions being directed towards the rail with which the support is used, a lower end of the body being formed with a curved end adapted to fit over the base of a railway rail and held in position by the fastener thereof, a, third rail clamp formed at the upper end of the body portion resting against the rail head and adapted to clamp a third rail and hold the third rail adjacent to the railway rail with which the support is used, and said length of spring steel adapted to move substantially verticallyunder the action of pressure directed to the third rail supported thereby.

WILLIS F. WALKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany Jan. 1, 1915 

